Brave
by WarriorHale
Summary: Finn finds out about Archie laughing about Rae and thinks that is why she has broken up with him. Archie tries to make things right.


**Disclaimer: **_I don't own MMFD or any of the characters.  
_**Author's note: **_This was based on a prompt that I seen on tumblr and I just loved it so much I had to write it. Hopefully I did the prompt justice._

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"I think she's struggling quite a lot because she's kind of lost two people at once, you know?" Izzy was saying quietly to Finn, so that no one else would hear.

"Eh?" Finn asked, confusion etched on his face. "What do you mean she's lost two people?" Who else has she lost? And she didn't actually _lose_ me, did she? She broke up with me."

Izzy placed a comforting hand on Finn's arm, sensing the boy's pain and frustration over the situation. "I know she did, but I think she's still hurting. And didn't Archie tell you that she's fallen out with him?"

Finn shook his head, no.

"Well I can understand why he wouldn't tell you, he's really ashamed. He was so horrible. He was trying to act tough in front of that ginger boy from college, you know the one that makes up the nicknames? And Archie laughed along with him and his idiot friends when they were slagging Rae off and Rae overheard."

"What were they sayin' about her?" Finn demanded, rage colouring his words.

A deep frown formed on Izzy's usually cheerful face as she described the nasty things that the boys had been saying about Rae and her relationship with Finn. Finn's blood began to boil as he listened; why couldn't people just mind their own fucking business? Why did everyone have to comment on things that had nothing to do with them? And how could Archie behave like such a prick? He remembered the things that Rae had said in the bathroom about how it didn't make sense that he liked her and he was certain that the things she had overheard had been the reason that she had broken up with him.

Finn downed his pint and stood to go and find Archie.

When Archie opened the door to find a furious looking Finn on his front step he was not surprised. He had assumed that this visit would be coming at some point.

"How could you be such an arsehole, Archie? You're meant to be her friend!" Finn spat. "You know she's broken up with me, right? This is your fault!"

Archie swallowed the lump in his throat and resisted the urge to just slam the door in Finn's face so that he could hole up in his room and hide from the reality of how awfully he had behaved.

"I know, mate," Archie began, his voice soft and filled with guilt. "I was a dick, I have no excuse."

Finn's anger faltered for a moment, he had not been expecting Archie to be so apologetic. He had been almost hoping for a fight.

"Too right, you were a dick! You should have defended her!"

"I know that," Archie agreed. "You don't know how much I wish that I had. I feel like the world's biggest coward but I didn't want to cause trouble with Simmy."

Before Finn could shout at him again, Archie continued, "And I know that I shouldn't even care about what Simmy thinks, not when it comes to sticking up for my mates, but it just all happened so fast. And then I seen her standing there and God, I felt like shit. I've tried to make things right with her but she won't talk to me."

When Finn replied, his voice was no longer raised. He could see how torn up Archie was, there was no point in staying angry with him over something he obviously regretted.

"Well you better keep trying to sort things, Archie," he warned. "Because she doesn't deserve that kind of crap and she shouldn't be made to believe all the vile shit that ginger prick was spouting. I need her to believe that it isn't true so we can sort things because I'm goin' mad without her. I fucking love her."

The sincerity in Finn's voice touched Archie and he knew then that he would do whatever it took to clean up the mess he had made; even if it meant putting himself in the firing line.

The next day at college, Archie's stomach plummeted as Rae walked past. She pointedly avoided his gaze and attempted to walk away but she was blocked by Simmy.

"I still just can't get over it," Simmy began, a cruel smile on his face. "Why would a cool lad like Finn Nelson go anywhere near a fat minger like you? You _must_ have a magic fanny, it's the only explanation."

The group of spotty morons that followed Simmy around sniggered at the joke and at Rae and Archie couldn't take it anymore.

"That's enough, for Christ's sake," he said, his voice not showing any of the nerves that were making his stomach churn. "Why do you always need to be such a bastard to people?"

Simmy's eyes bulged in his head, "You what?!"

"If you knew anything about Finn and Rae you would know that they make _so_ much sense. They're like the boy and girl version of each other, for fuck's sake. But anyway, love doesn't always make sense. In fact, most of the time it doesn't and I know that better than anyone because you know what? I'm gay. I fancy blokes, ok? So if you want to take shots at anyone, take them at me, not Rae."

Simmy and his cronies stood in a stunned silence before Simmy broke into a nasty laugh. "Should've known you were a _poofter_. You're life is going to be a fucking _nightmare_; I'm going to make sure of it."

Archie nodded his head, not quite feeling the gravity of what he had just done. "I'm sure you will."

He turned to Rae and held out his hand to her, "Come on, Rae, let's go."

She took his hand without hesitation, he eyes wide and wet with unshed emotion.

When they were far enough away from Simmy and his friends, Archie let out a deep shuddering breath. "I can't believe I just done that. Everything's going to be different now isn't it?"

Rae nodded her head.

"Yeah, probably but don't worry, I'm going to be here for you and so will the rest of the gang." She squeezed his hand in reassurance, "Thanks for doing that, Archie. You're a good friend."

"I had to make things right, I felt terrible."

Rae waved her free hand and told Archie that his comments were water under the bridge and that he had more than made up for what he had done.

"But Rae," Archie continued seriously. "It's time for you to make things right now. Finn's in bits and I know you are too. It's daft to put yourself and him through this when you both obviously want to be together."

"I-," Rae began. "Yeah, I will. I'll sort things. If you can be brave so can I."

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**A/n: **_If anyone has any prompts they'd like me to fill just send them to me on tumblr. My url is warriorhale :)_


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